Financial-information systems, methods, interfaces, and software

ABSTRACT

Within the financial-services industry, there are online centers that allow brokers to match sellers with buyers of financial instruments based on indications of interest. To follow up on these indications of interest, users of such centers are now using proprietary instant-messaging (IM) systems, which allow them to instantaneously exchange text messages over the Internet with other users. The present inventor recognized that these communications are often inconvenient because the IM programs are isolated from the financial information. Accordingly, he devised systems, methods, and software that integrate IM and other communications-related functions into financial-data displays. Ultimately, one of more of these or other embodiments promise improved efficiency and convenience of online interactions not only for financial trading partners and others in the financial-services industry, but also for those in any private, public, and commercial domain where rapid or convenient online communication is desirable.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent application60/524,288, which was filed on Nov. 21, 2003 and is incorporated hereinby reference.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND PERMISSION

One or more portions of this patent document contain material subject tocopyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to thefacsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patentdisclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patentfiles or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever. Thefollowing notice applies to this document: Copyright© 2003, ThomsonCorporation.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns online data systems and instant-messagingsystems, particularly such systems in the context of thefinancial-services industry.

BACKGROUND

The 1990s witnessed a proliferation of computer technology into homesand businesses. During this time, computers, fueled by growth of themuch-heralded Internet, advanced from facilitating tasks, such as wordprocessing and bookkeeping, to become everyday communications tools,fast approaching the commonness of telephones and televisions. As aresult, virtually every sector of public, private, and commercial lifehas been affected in some way by the power and reach of today's computertechnology.

The financial-services industry, for example, has recently seen not onlythe emergence of Internet-based trading platforms that allow onlinetrading of stocks, bonds, and commodities, but also the emergence ofonline listing centers that allow brokers to match sellers with buyersof securities based on listed “indications of interest.” A seminalexample of such an online center is the Autex™ block-trading servicefrom Thomson Corporation of Stamford, Conn. This service provides asecure and convenient means for investment firms and other large-blocktraders to broadcast their desires, or interests, in purchasing orselling particular stock or other security instruments to a group ofsecurities traders. Traders viewing these indications in an online listcan then respond by phoning, faxing, or emailing contacts at theseinvestment firms to begin negotiations and ultimately complete thetransactions.

More recently, users of such services have started using proprietaryinstant-messaging (IM) systems, which allow them to instantaneouslyexchange text messages over the Internet with other users that areequipped with IM-capable workstations, laptops, mobile telephones, orpagers. When available, instant messaging can save traders significanttime over other modes of communications, such as telephone, fax, andeven email.

However, the present inventor has recognized that the IM functionalityused to facilitate online trading or other market-related communicationsis accessed separately (or outside the context) of the financialinformation that drives these communications, and forces users to takenumerous steps to initiate and complete a communication. For example,when viewing financial data, such as an indication of interest in anAutex™ data window on her monitor, a user seeking to send an instantmessage to a relevant trading partner uses her keyboard, mouse, or othergraphical pointer to switch out of the Autex™ window into an IM program(or application) to view her buddy list. The buddy list, a personaladdress book of contacts that use instant messaging, enables her to viewwhether the trading partner is among her listed buddies and if sowhether he is online and available—that is, present—for instantmessaging.

If the trading partner is present, then the user typically uses hermouse to request that the IM application open an IM window forcommunicating with him. She then switches back to the Autex™ window toselect and copy text from the displayed indication of interest, whichshe then pastes into the IM window. Then after typing any other desiredtext, such as an acceptance or counteroffer, into the IM window, sheclicks a button to send the message to an IM-capable device used by thetrading partner.

Unfortunately, this series of user actions is not only time consuming,but can result in lost trade opportunities. Accordingly, the presentinventor has recognized a need for better ways of accessing and usinginstant messaging as well as other forms of communications.

SUMMARY

To address this and/or other limitations, the present inventor devisedsystems, methods, interfaces, and software that integrate communicationsfunctionality, such as presence indication, into financial-datadisplays. One exemplary financial-information system providesindications of interest in stocks, bonds, commodities or derivatives, tosubscribing users via the Internet, with one or more of the indicationslogically associated with a presence indicator. The presence indicatorsignals to users whether a trading counterparty associated with theindication is currently available to communicate via instant messaging.

Some embodiments extend the concept of an integrated presence indicationto other types of data, to multiple instant-messaging systems, and/or toother types of communication systems that provide presence detection.Moreover, some embodiments allow a user to open an instant-messagingwindow from the context of a financial-data window, with the openedwindow containing a predetermined instant-messaging address and textbased on the financial-data window.

Ultimately, one of more of these or other disclosed embodiments promiseimproved efficiency and convenience of online interactions not only forfinancial trading partners and others in the financial-servicesindustry, but also for those in any private, public, or commercialdomain where rapid or convenient communication is desirable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary financial-information system100 corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart 200 illustrating one or more exemplary methods ofoperating a financial-information system and corresponding to one ormore embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a facsimile of an exemplary graphical-user interface 300corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a facsimile of exemplary graphical user interface 300′corresponding to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The following description, which incorporates the figures and theappended claims, describes and/or illustrates one or more exemplaryembodiments of one or more inventions. These embodiments, offered not tolimit but only to exemplify and teach the invention(s), are shown anddescribed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art tomake and use the invention(s). Thus, where appropriate to avoidobscuring the one or more inventions, the description may omit certaininformation known to those of skill in the relevant art.

Exemplary Financial-Information System

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary financial-information system 100 thatincorporates one or more teachings of the present invention. System 100,broadly adaptable to any form of electronic commerce, includesfinancial-data providers 110, an aggregate financial database 120,communications servers 130 and 140, and one or more access devices 150.

Specifically, financial-data providers 110, which provide various formsof financial or economic data to subscribers via one or morecommunications links or channels, include financial-data providers 112,114, and 116. In the exemplary embodiment, providers 112, 114, and 116are subsidiaries or divisions of a common financial-data provider.However, in other embodiments, one or more of the providers areindependent of one or more of the other providers.

More specifically, providers 112, 114, and 114 each store and distributeone or more financial-data sets, of which financial-data sets FD1, FD2,and FDN are generally representative. Data sets FD1, FD2, and FDNrespectively include or are logically associated with contact orsource-identifying data C1, C2, and CN. Data C1, C2, and CN identifiesone or more source individuals, groups, entities, or institutions thatdeveloped, authored, own, or are otherwise associated with respectivedata sets FD1, FD2, and FDN. The source-identifying data includes one ormore names, online aliases, entity affiliations, entity addresses,network addresses, telephone numbers, pager numbers, andinstant-messaging aliases or user identifiers.

In the exemplary embodiment, one or more financial-data sets fromprovider 112, such as data set FD1, includes one or more indications ofinterest (IOIs) in buying, selling, or otherwise transacting in one ormore economic or financial instruments, such as stocks, bonds,commodities, options, derivatives, and so forth, from one or morespecified or unspecified economic trading entities or parties, such asindividual investors, individual brokers, brokerage firms, retail banks,investment banks, mutual-fund operators, venture capitalists, etc. (FIG.3 shows a variety of exemplary indications of interest in displayregions 322, 324, and 326.) Other embodiments include other forms ofpre-trade or commercial data. For instance, some embodiments may includelistings related to the sale or purchase of other forms of property,such as consumer goods or services, or real property.

Similarly, one or more data sets of financial-data provider 114, forexample data set FD2, include news and/or analysis of markets, marketsectors, industries, companies, particular economic instruments, etc.And, one or more of the data sets of financial-data provider 116, forexample data set FDN, includes current and/or historical marketperformance data related to particular economic instruments, etc.

In some embodiments, one or more of data sets FD1, FD2, and FDN includeor are logically associated with data handling preferences orrestrictions, such as whole or partial access or distributionrestrictions, temporal limits, archival instructions, etc. For example,in one embodiment, a financial-data provider (or a user submitting datato such a provider) can control or limit access by encrypting one ormore portions of the data, such as all or part of the source-identifyinginformation. Variants of this embodiment may restrict or regulate accessto associated presence information by controlling who or what can accesspresence, when can presence be accessed, what type of presence can beaccess (active, idle, inactive), and what type of device or deviceattributes are included with any accessible presence information.

Providers 112-116 are coupled or couplable, for example, via an InternetProtocol (IP) network or other form of permanent, temporary, dedicated,shared wireless or wireline communication link to aggregatefinancial-data provider 120.

Aggregate financial-data provider 120 includes an aggregate database 121and a server 122. Database 121 aggregates data from financial-dataproviders 112-116 into one or more data structures, such as lookuptables or relational databases, and logically associates or otherwiseaggregates respective presence data P1, P2, and PN from communicationsservers 130 and 140, with respective financial-data sets FD1, FD2, andFDN. Some embodiments retrieve and associate the presence data byquerying communication servers 130 or 140 based on thesource-identifying data C1, C2, and CN. In some variants of thisembodiment, provider 120 queries only one of communication servers 130and 140 based on the type or specific nature of the source-identifyingdata. However, in other variants, provider 120 may lack sufficientinformation to exclude one or more communication servers from a givenquery and thus queries each of the communication servers. Still otherembodiments aggregate the presence data at the client level based onclient buddy lists, which may reside within the client and/or within oneor more communications servers.

In addition to its aggregate database 121, aggregate financial-dataprovider 120 includes one or more servers, such as server 122, to servedata in active or dynamic forms, such as hypertext markup language(HTML), extensible markup language (XML), or more generally data incombination with interactive control features (or user interfaceelements). Server 122 includes a processing unit 1221 and a memory 1222.

Processing unit 1221, which is generally representative of one or morelocal or distributed processors, virtual machines, or other functionallysimilar data-processing or computing arrangements, is coupled to memory1222.

Memory 1222, which can take the form of an electronic, magnetic, oroptical computer- or machine-readable medium, includes one or subscriberdatabases 1222A, one or more search engines 1222B, and other modules andsoftware, such as browser-compatible user-interface elements (UIEs)1222C. UIEs 1222C include one or more Java scripts, applets, servlets,CGI (common-gateway interface) programs, scripts, ActiveX controls,remote-invocation objects, or other related software and data structuresfor serving data in association with desired interactive, user-interfacefeatures, objects, modules, or elements to clients of various“thicknesses.” One or more portions of UIEs 1222C work in conjunctionwith a client processor, operating system, or other related componentsto define one or more portions of a browser-based user interface withina client. (In some embodiments, server 122 hosts browser or other accesssoftware used by client devices to access and interact with data ofaggregate database 121, and in other embodiments, the server downloadsaccess software to the clients for client-side execution.)

Communication servers 130 and 140 provide instant-messagingcommunication service for two independent instant-messaging systems ornetworks. (In some embodiments, one or more of the communication serversfacilitates another form of communication other than instant messaging,for example voice or email communications. In some embodiments, one ormore of servers 130 and 140 take the form of an AOL™ instant-messagingserver, a Microsoft™ Live Communications Server, or other public orprivate instant-messaging server. Also, in some embodiments, one or morecommunications servers is part of aggregate financial-data provider (ordata center) 120.

In addition to one or more processors, memory devices, and other formsof hardware, firmware, and software (not shown separately in theFigure), servers 130 and 140 include respective presence databases 132and 142 and are coupled to respective access devices 134 and 144. In theexemplary embodiment, each set of presence data includes a list ofidentifiers or aliases for users of at least one instant-messagingsystem, with each alias logically associated with a current IP addressfor an IM-capable device. Some embodiments associate each alias withbuddy lists and user preferences regarding who or what can accesspresence, when presence can be accessed, what type of presence can beaccess (active, idle, inactive), and what type of device or deviceattributes are included with any presence information. The presence datais accessible by access devices, such as access devices 134 and 144.

Access devices 134 and 144, which may take the form of a personalcomputer, workstation, personal digital assistant, mobile telephone, orany other network communication device, include respective types ofinstant-messaging software 1341 and 1441. This software enables theaccess devices to not only register and update their presence data andstatus with respective servers 130 and 140 (and/or other accessdevices), but also to communicate via instant-messaging or other form oflive or real-time, and in some cases non-real-time (for example email)communications with access device 150.

Access device 150 is not only communicatively coupled or couplable toaggregate database 120, but also generally representative of one or moreaccess devices. In the exemplary embodiment, access device 150 takes theform of a personal computer, workstation, personal digital assistant,mobile telephone, or any other device having a suitable user interfaceand communication capability. (In some embodiments, access devices 134and 144 have the same or similar structure as access device 150.)

In addition to one or more processors (or processing circuits) 151 andmemory devices (or circuits) 152, access device 150 includes a display153, a keyboard 154, a graphical pointer or selector (mouse) 155, agraphical user interface 156, one or more application program interfaces157, and a communications module 158.

Graphical user interface 156, which resides as coded instructions anddata in memory 152 and is displayed or displayable in whole or in parton display 155, includes one or more data-display regions, such asrepresentative display regions 1561 and 1562. Display regions 1561 and1562 are respectively defined in memory not only to display one or moreportions of financial-data sets FD1 and FD2, as text, images, symbols,or other semantic forms, but also to display or provide presenceindicators 1561P and 1562P and interactive control features(user-interface elements or widgets) 1561W and 1562W. In the exemplaryembodiment, the display regions and control features are defined inwhole or part by server 122, specifically its UIEs 1222C, which work incooperation with a client operating system or browser software.

More specifically, presence indicators 1561P and 1562P indicate whetherrespective entities associated with the source-identifying data forfinancial-data sets FD1 and FD2 are deemed present within thecommunication network(s) served by communication server 130 orcommunication server 140. In the exemplary embodiment, each presenceindicator assumes the form of an icon for its correspondinginstant-messaging or alternative communication system. For example, ifthe entity associated with the financial-data set FD1 is associated withthe AOL or Microsoft instant-messaging system, an AOL- orMicrosoft-approved or licensed icon can be displayed in a full-color,highlighted, and/or blinking form to indicate current presence or in amuted or “grayed out” form to indicate no presence.

Some embodiments omit display of the icon completely to indicate nopresence for the associated entity. Other embodiments blink, highlight,underscore, or otherwise differentiate the color or font of thefinancial data itself to facilitate user discernment of presence or nonpresence. Yet other embodiments indicate data sets with affirmativepresence by displaying or grouping them in a separate portion of thewindow, or provide options for users to invoke a show-only-those-presentoption. Moreover, still other embodiments provide a control featurewhich allows the financial data, for example, indications of interests,to be sorted or otherwise organized based on presence data.

Some embodiments may give preferential treatment of oneinstant-messaging system (more generally communication system) overanother. For example, one embodiment may display presence indicators forone instant-messaging system and omit those for another whereinformation for both is available to the system. The preference can bebased on user-indicated preference or an agreement between the dataprovider and the instant-messaging system.

The communication-system preference can be manifested in a number ofways. One way is to use specific icons for one or more preferredinstant-messaging systems, and using a generic icon for all otherinstant-messaging systems. Others ways to indicate IM preferencesinclude visually highlighting the icons for one or more preferred IMsystems using different relative sizes or blinking techniques, or tointentionally accelerate the process of invoking IM communications withsome IM systems relative to others. Providing preference for one or moreIM systems (or generally communication systems) over others may allowowners of the financial-data system to obtain revenues or other rightsof economic value from communications providers.

Interactive control features 1561W and 1562W are associated with one ormore portions of the display regions to receive user commands or presentadditional associated portions of their respective financial-data setsor other data to the user. In the exemplary embodiment, control features1561W and 1562W are associated with respective presence indicators 1561Pand 1562P, and are independently or jointly selectable via auser-controlled graphical pointer or other interface device to invoke orcause processor 151 to communicate information or command signalsassociated with one or more of the corresponding display regions to oneor more of application program interfaces 157.

Application program interfaces 157 includes at least one interface forreceiving information associated with one or more of the selectedinteractive control features and communicating in response to thisreceived information with one or more of communications applications orprograms within communication module 158. (In the exemplary embodiment,this communication entails causing one or more of the communicationsmodules 158 to open an instant-messaging or other form of communicationwindow based on data associated with the display region and otherfunctionality described below.)

Communications module (programs or applications) 158 includescommunications software for two or more messaging or externalcommunication systems, for example instant-messaging software IM1 andIM2 and associated buddy lists BL1 and BL2. (The buddy lists may bestored on one or more of communication servers 130 and 140.) In theexemplary embodiment, each instant-messaging software facilitates notonly initiating, editing, sending, and receiving instant messages, butalso establishing, maintaining, and updating buddy lists, and associateduser preferences. Some embodiments may provide a singleinstant-messaging application that is compatible with two or moreotherwise incompatible instant messaging or communications services.Still other embodiments may include combinations of single-systemcommunication modules and multi-system communications modules.

Exemplary Method of Operation

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart 200 of one or more exemplary methods ofoperating system 100. Flow chart 200 includes blocks 210-270, which arearranged and described in a serial execution sequence in the exemplaryembodiment. However, other embodiments execute two or more blocks inparallel using multiple processors or processor-like devices or a singleprocessor organized as two or more virtual machines or sub processors.Other embodiments also alter the process sequence or provide differentfunctional partitions to achieve analogous results. Moreover, stillother embodiments implement the blocks as two or more interconnectedhardware modules with related control and data signals communicatedbetween and through the modules. Thus, the exemplary process flowapplies to software, hardware, and firmware implementations.

At block 210, the exemplary method begins with a user initiatingcommunicative coupling of an access device, such access device 150, toaggregate database 120. In the exemplary embodiment, this entails theuser directing a browser or other access software on device 150 to awebserver for aggregate database 120 and subsequently logging intoaggregate database 120 using appropriate username, password, and/orother authentication techniques. Execution continues at block 220.

In block 220, the user, interacting with user interface 156, indicates adesire to see data related to a specific economic instrument or entity.In the exemplary embodiment, this entails the user sending a query byselecting a stock ticker symbol or company name from a menu using amouse, keyboard, or other interface device, or alternatively just keyinga particular company name associated symbol or selecting a particularicon. In some embodiments, the user maintains a watchlist of specificcompanies or economic instruments, and aggregate data related to theseentities or instruments is automatically or selectively communicatedfrom the aggregate database to the access device after login. The userthen has an interface option to focus on particular portions of thewatchlist. Thus, content from database 120 can be “pulled” to accessdevice 150 pursuant to queries, and “pushed” to the device, pursuant tologin or other events. Execution continues at block 230.

Block 230 provides requested data with integrated presence indicationand/or interactive communications control features. In the exemplaryembodiment, this entails aggregate database 120 communicating one ormore financial-data sets to access device 150, based on the user query.The data, which includes an aggregation of two or more of data sets FD1,FD2, FDN along with one or more corresponding presence data sets P1, P2,PN, is then presented to the user via display 153 and graphical userinterface 156.

In some embodiments, aggregate database may not include presence data ormay include stale presence data. In such embodiments, associatedsoftware modules, for example, one or more of application programinterfaces (APIs) 157 may query, based on the source-identifyinginformation, one or more of communications servers 130 and 140 directlyor through communication module 158 to obtain presence informationrelated to one or more of the financial-data sets from aggregatedatabase 120.

Other embodiments may also query an existing personal buddy list, suchas BL1 or BL2, within the access device or within an external database,such as a relevant communication server, based on the source-identifyinginformation for relevant presence information. Still other embodimentsmay query a generic (multi-user or aggregate) buddy list within one ormore of the communications servers, to determine presence informationrelevant to one or more of the displayed financial-data sets. (In someembodiments, users can associate one or more of their contacts in abuddy list with data from one or more of the financial-data providers tofacilitate providing presence indicators.) Execution continues at block240.

Block 240 initiates a communication session with an entity associatedwith one or more of the displayed financial-data sets. In the exemplaryembodiment, this occurs in response to the user selecting or actuatingan interactive control feature or user-interface element, such ascontrol feature 1561W or 1562W, which is associated with a portion ofthe displayed data. In response, the graphical user interfacecommunicates via one or more of application program interfaces 157 withan appropriate communication module, such as communication module 158.(Some embodiments may include a routing API that determines which of oneor more other applications program interfaces are to further respond tothe actuated control feature(s)). Execution then continues at block 250.

In block 250, one or more of the communications modules (or theprocessor operation under control of one or more of the modules)automatically opens one or more communication dialogue windows. In theexemplary embodiment, opening of the dialogue window includesautomatically populating one or more fields of the window with one ormore predefined portion of the financial-data set. For example, inembodiments where the selected command feature is associated with anindication of interest for a particular stock, bond, commodity, or othereconomic instrument, the communication window includes the text of theindication of interest as well as an instant-messaging address for anentity associated with the indication.

Some embodiments may allow for automatic opening and population of twoor more communication windows by a user selecting two or more of thedata sets within graphical user interface 156. This feature, forexample, may be useful for establishing a private chatroom for an onlineauction or multiparty earnings briefing. Also, in some embodiments, thecommunication windows pertain to an email application, or to a networkvideo or audio conference. This feature can, in some embodiments,facilitate opening of communications windows for separate communicationsmodules, for example two different instant-messaging applications orvoice-communications applications. Execution advances to block 260.

In block 260, the user completes the message. In the exemplaryembodiment, completion of the message entails editing and/or adding textor data into the messaging window using cutting and pasting or othertext-entry methods. However, other embodiments provide a set of specificuser- or administrator-defined text menus or icons that may be added tothe message under construction with aid of function keys, hotkeys,macros, pointers, etc.

For example, some embodiment provides a set of one or more icons,analogous to “emoticons,” which convey specific information and whichmay be added by selection using the graphical pointer. Other embodimentsprovide specialized auto-edit capabilities that recognize certaincharacter strings as being associated with particular words or textstrings, and upon detecting their entry in the communication window,completes the words or text string within the window to save the userkeystrokes. Still other embodiments allows the user to drag and dropicons into the message window using a graphical pointer, with the iconsdecoded into corresponding administrator- or user-defined text withinthe communication window.

In block 270, one or more of the communications modules send the messageto the one or more recipients. In the exemplary embodiments, this occursin response to the user selecting the send button on the communicationwindow. In some embodiments, however, the message is sent in response toinsertion of predefined closing text or signature icon, which includes auser- or administrator-defined closing signature along with an auto-sendtrigger. Thus, insertion of this icon would result in automatictransmission of the message. Some embodiments include screening orfiltering functions to reduce the risk that users will send undesirableor inappropriate messages. These filters may be triggered for offer oracceptance type communication that would be difficult to retract or thatwould exceed some transactional quantity or value limit for the senderor other risk-related threshold.

Some embodiments provide one or more interactive control features (oruser-interface element) on graphical user interface 156, which uponselection or invocation causes automatic execution of blocks 240, 250,260, and 270, based on predefined text. For example, one control featuremay automatically send a routine question, such as “Is this Offer Firm?”via the communication module to a contact. Another control feature mayautomatically send standard order-execution terms. Some variants ofthese embodiments may include filters to mitigate risk of errant orunauthorized communications.

Also, in some embodiments, block 250 entails open a communicationswindow for an email application or audio- or audio-video-conferencingapplication in addition to or as alternatives to an instant-messagingwindow, with the window populated with an associated email, phonenumber, or VoIP address rather than an instant-messaging address.

Exemplary Graphical User Interface

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary graphical user interface 300 used with someembodiments of the systems and methods described above. Specifically,interface 300 includes an interactive control region 310, an interactivefinancial-data region 320, a communication window region 330, aninteractive financial-data region 340, and an interactive financial-dataregion 350.

Interactive control region 310 includes a symbol input region 312, adata-type input region 314, and a command-submission feature 316. Symbolinput region 312 accepts stock or other financial instrumentidentification systems, such as GE, the ticker symbol for GeneralElectric Company. In some embodiments, region 312 takes the form of apull-down menu listing all available ticker symbols or a predefinedsubset of symbols, for example, those most recently used and/or thosefrom a user-defined watchlist. Data-type input region 314 accepts adata-type descriptor or name, such as Consolidated Recap, whichdesignates the type and form of data the user desires. In the exemplaryembodiment, this region provides a number of possible options in theform of a pull-down menu. However, other embodiments may use otheruser-interface features for presenting such options.

The command-submission feature 316, for example, a “go” button, isselectable to invoke submission of data from input region 312 and 314 toaggregate data provider 120 (or more precisely server 122.) In response,the provider populates interactive financial-data regions 320, 330, and340 with corresponding data sets related to the content of input regions314 and 316, one or more of which provide integrated presence dataand/or communications functionality as describe for one or moreembodiments above.

Specifically, interactive financial-data region 320 includes a generalbuy-interest portion 322, a general sell-interest portion 324, and adetailed-interest portion 326, each of which lists one or moreindications of interest and corresponding presence indicators. Forexample, detailed-interest portion 326 includes an indication listing3261, which includes interest data 3261D, a presence indicator 3261P,and an interactive control feature 3261C. Interest data 3261D includes atime stamp (1:40 PM), a buy-or-sell-side indicator or text field (B orS), a size or quantity indicator or text field (1,000,000), a priceindicator or text field (29.16), a sender identifier or text field (MORSTAN), a comments indicator or text field, and a quality indicator ortext field.

Presence indicator 3261P indicates whether a contact associated with theindication listing, for example a user-, administrator-, orsender-defined counterparty associated with the sender text field (MORSTAN, short for Morgan Stanley) is presently available for instantmessaging or other form of communications. Presence indicator 3261P cantake any number of forms, as noted in the description of interface 156.

Interactive control feature 3261C, which may be associated with anyportion of indication listing 326, such as a sender text field, isselectable to open an instant-messaging (or other form of communicationswindow), such as window 330. Interactive control feature 3261C may takeany number of forms, such as a link or pull-down communication menuassociated with presence indicator 3261P or another portion of theindication listing. A pull-down menu may list one or more presentcontacts and thus allow a user to select one or more parties for instantmessaging or an alternative form of communications, such as voice orvideo conference.

Window 330, upon opening, is automatically populated with data from theindication listing and directed to a contact associated with theindication. In the example shown, the window includes an address 332(Cassandra.chew@tfn.com) based on a buddy-list contact associated by theuser, an administrator, sender, or other entity, with indication senderMorgan Stanley and indication text 334 based on indication listing data3261D.

Additionally, window 330 includes automatic messaging icons 336 and 338which as described above relative to FIG. 2, can be actuated or droppedinto a portion of defined portion of window 330, such as an inputregion, to cause automatic insertion of predefined text or can beactuated or dropped into the window to cause both automatic insertionand automatic sending of the message. Some embodiments display the textof the message associated message as well as instructions for use ofthese icons upon sensing a cursor “rollover.”

Interactive financial-data region 340 lists one or more news or analystsreports related to the content of input region 314. For example, region340 includes a report listing 342, which includes a presence indicator342P, an associated interactive control feature 342C, a reportdescription 342D and an interactive control feature 342CC. Presenceindicator 342P indicates whether an author, analyst or other partyassociated with the report description are present for interactivecommunications. Analogous to control feature 3261C, control feature 342Cis selectable to automatically open a communication window which isautomatically populated with at least a portion of the report listing orother associated data. In some embodiments, a hyperlink to the listedreport is automatically included in the communication window. Reportdescription 342D provides a brief description of an associated report,such as a title. And, control feature 342CC, which in some embodimentstakes the form of a hyperlink, functions to allow access to a documentcontaining the associated report. Control features 342C and 342CC maynot be visible in some embodiments until a cursor “rolls over”associated elements on the display.

Interactive financial-data region 350 includes market performance datarelated to the content of input region 314. In the exemplary embodiment,region 350 includes a graph 352 of a market performance parameter, suchas market price, over time.

FIG. 4 shows a variation of interface 300, denoted 300′, in which window330 pertains to an email application, such as the Microsoft™ Office™application, rather than an instant-messaging application. In thisinstance, the window is automatically populated with an email addressand text based on the data associated with the interactive controlfeature used to launch the window. In some embodiments, the emailversion of window 330 is displayed in response to user selection toinitiate communications with related to financial data that has anassociated contact that is not present for interactive communications.

Conclusion

In furtherance of the art, the present inventor has recognized thatinstant messaging and other forms of online interactive communicationsare at times inconvenient because the instant-messaging or othercommunications programs used to initiate them are isolated from thedata, for example financial data, that inspires them. Accordingly, hedevised various exemplary systems, methods, interfaces and software thatintegrate or facilitate integration of communications functions, such aspresence and communication initiation, into data displays. Ultimately,one of more of these or other embodiments promise improved efficiencyand convenience of online interactions not only for financial tradingpartners and others in the financial-services industry, but also forthose in any private, public, and commercial domain where rapid orconvenient online communication is desirable.

The embodiments described above are intended only to illustrate andteach one or more ways of making and using the present invention, not torestrict its breadth or scope. The actual scope of the invention, whichembraces all ways of practicing or implementing the teachings of theinvention, is defined only by one or more issued patent claims and theirequivalents.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving, from asender, an indication of interest (IOI); determining a plurality ofinstant messenger applications via which the sender of the IOI iscurrently available to communicate; determining that at least oneinstant messenger application of the plurality instant messengerapplications via which the sender of the IOI is currently available tocommunicate is a preferred instant messenger application; displaying aninteractive control, wherein the interactive control is configured to:specify information describing the IOI, wherein the specifiedinformation describing the IOI is retrieved from the IOI, specify aplurality of presence indicators, wherein each presence indicatorindicates a status of the sender of the IOI regarding a respectiveinstant messenger application of the plurality of instant messengerapplications, and wherein a status regarding a respective instantmessenger application indicates whether the sender of the IOI iscurrently available to communicate via the respective instant messengerapplication, and specify a preference indicator for the at least oneinstant messenger application, wherein the preference indicatorindicates that the at least one instant messenger application is apreferred instant messenger application; and based on a user's selectionof the interactive control, initiating an instant messenger sessionincluding at least the user and the sender, wherein the instantmessenger session is initiated in the preferred at least one instantmessenger application of the plurality of instant messaging applicationsvia which the sender of the IOI is currently available to communicate,and wherein the initiating the instant messenger session includesautomatically populating at least one field associated with the instantmessenger session with data retrieved from the IOI.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the instant messenger session is initiated in at leasttwo of the plurality of instant messaging applications that the senderof the IOI is currently signed-into and through which the sender of theIOI is currently available to communicate.
 3. A system comprising: aprocessor operable to receive from a sender an indication of interest(IOI), operable to determine a plurality of instant messengerapplications via which the sender of the IOI is currently available tocommunicate, and operable to determine that at least one instantmessenger application of the plurality instant messenger applicationsvia which the sender of the IOI is currently available to communicate isa preferred instant messenger application; and a display operable todisplay an interactive control, wherein the interactive control isconfigured to specify information describing the IOI, wherein thedisplayed information is retrieved from the IOI, operable to display aplurality of presence indicators, wherein each presence indicatorindicates a status of the sender of the IOI regarding a respectiveinstant messenger application of the plurality of instant messengerapplications, and wherein a status regarding a respective instantmessenger application indicates whether the sender is currentlyavailable to communicate via the respective instant messengerapplication, and operable to display a preference indicator, wherein thepreference indicator indicates which instant messenger application is apreferred instant messenger application, and wherein the processor isfurther operable to, based on user selection of the interactive control,initiate an instant messenger session including at least the user andthe sender, wherein the instant messenger session is initiated in thepreferred at least one instant messenger application of the plurality ofinstant messaging applications via which the sender of the IOI iscurrently available to communicate, wherein the initiation of theinstant messenger session includes automatically populating at least onefield associated with the instant messenger session with data retrievedfrom the IOI.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the instant messengersession is initiated in at least two of the plurality of instantmessaging applications that the sender of the IOI is currentlysigned-into and through which the sender of the IOI is currentlyavailable to communicate.